OUR TOP SUMMER READS 2021
Whether you’re heading for the amber list, green list, or enjoying a staycation this summer, we all agree on one thing: it’s time for a holiday and that means we’re all due to stock up on some reading material. There’s nothing the team likes more than after a hot sweaty workout or being at the computer all day , to have a bath , relax in the garden and read a good book.
Here are the books the Balance + Glo team will be packing this summer (even if it’s just to shady spot in the garden :)) and we hope it will inspire you to pick up a book this year. From fiction, to self help we have all the bases covered. We’d love to hear your recommendations too!
Stronger by Poorna Bell
“With bold colours and the slash of a lightning bolt, I feel powerful just looking at it,” says Balance + Glo Co Founder Jenny. This book from journalist and author Poorna Bell focuses on strength, charting her journey into the world of powerlifting after her husband’s death. Her inspiring tale of self-discovery, her challenge to the traditional notions of women’s fitness, and her words on what it means to be strong, both inside and out, are just what we all need after this crazy year. A really empowering book, that inspire you to discover what strength can mean for you, no matter what activity you are drawn to.
Book chosen by Jenny Stewart - Co Founder + Head of Yoga
2. After the Storm - Emma Jane Unsworth
Not perhaps your usual light summer read but something we are very passionate about here at Balance + Glo is looking after our mental health. Author Emma documents her descent into postnatal depression, how she got there and how she got out. Interrogating the ways that pregnant bodies are meticulously monitored but the minds of pregnant people are not, it serves as a call to arms to centre the mental health of new mothers and push back against the taboos that force so many to feel they must suffer in silence.
“As a new mum in the midst of the utter craziness of new motherhood, this is a must read, not only as I can relate to so many things in it but Emma’s way of writing makes you laugh, cry and everything in between.”
Chosen by Jenny Stewart - Co founder + Head of Yoga ( a new mum - so I totally relate to some of the ideas in this book!)
3. Why we Sleep by Matthew Walker
"Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society’. This book explains why we sleep, the positive effects of sleeping on your mind, body and health and the negative effects that not sleeping enough has on them. By reading this book you may find you start sleeping more and can clearly understand the effect a few nights in a row of not sleeping enough has, then detect it and easily fix it by just going to bed earlier! Life-changing!
Book chosen by Emma Humfrey - Yoga Teacher + Wellness Advocate
4. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Atmospheric and tumultuous, Owens’ writing is dreamy. She creates a sublime narrative which tells the story of an isolated girl surviving on the fringes of society in North Carolina during the 1950s and 1960s.
‘You can immerse yourself into the main characters world with beautiful depictions of the natural world. I don’t want to say too much! It’s thought provoking page turner that you will not want to put down.’
Book chosen by Evelyn Joyce - Co founder and Head of Fitness
5. The Flat Share - Beth O’Leary
What if your roommate is your soul mate? A joyful, quirky romantic comedy, Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare is a feel-good novel about finding love in the most unexpected of ways.
O’Leary skilfully balances humour with tact and gravitas, while depicting the impact fear and anxiety can have on the best of us. It acknowledges bad things happening to good people and reminds us of the value and poignancy in the little things… even companionable silence.
A heartwarming celebration of goodness and individuality. I highly recommend this as an easy read for your summer hols and letting it shine a warm light in your world!
Book chosen by Olivia Hazlitt - Yoga Teacher + Wellness Advocate